Viewing File Attributes in Windows 3.11 File Manager

Microsoft Windows 3.11 displayed file attributes within its default File Manager application by utilizing a combination of dedicated detail columns in directory listings and a standalone file properties window. Users could view standard MS-DOS file attributes—specifically Read-only, Archive, Hidden, and System—either as a four-letter text string directly in the file pane or as a set of checkboxes within a dialogue box. This article explains the exact mechanisms File Manager used to reveal these attributes to the user.

The Detailed View Mode

By default, File Manager only displayed file names alongside their corresponding document or executable icons. To view file attributes in the main window, users had to adjust the directory display settings:

  1. Open the View menu on the top menu bar.
  2. Select All File Details, or choose Partial Details... and ensure the File Attributes checkbox was marked.

Once enabled, the right-hand directory pane expanded to show columns for file size, last modification date, last modification time, and file attributes.

Attribute Code Representation

Within the directory listing, File Manager presented file attributes as a concise sequence of up to four capital letters on the far right of the entry:

  • R (Read-only): Indicated the file could not be altered or deleted accidentally.
  • A (Archive): Marked files that had been modified since the last backup.
  • H (Hidden): Signified files concealed from ordinary directory listings (visible only if View > By File Type... had "Show Hidden/System Files" checked).
  • S (System): Denoted critical operating system files utilized by DOS or Windows.

If a file carried multiple attributes, they appeared together without spaces (such as RAHS or RH). If an attribute was not set, its respective letter was omitted from the string.

The Properties Dialog

Users could also inspect and modify attributes individually using the Properties dialog:

  1. Select a file in the directory list.
  2. Choose File from the menu and click Properties... (or press Alt + Enter).

At the bottom of the resulting window, File Manager displayed four distinct checkboxes labeled Read Only, Archive, Hidden, and System. A checked box indicated that the respective attribute was currently assigned to the file, allowing users to alter attributes directly from the graphical user interface without using the command-line ATTRIB command.